Collection device for wheel chairs

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO COLLECTION APPARATUS FOR AN INVALIDE CHAIR WHICH INCLUDES A BACK FRAME AND A SEAT FRAME, BOTH CONNECTED TO A SUPPORTING FRAME. THE COLLECTION APPARATUS COMPRISES SUPPORT PLATE MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY ATTACHING THE SUPPORT PLATE MEANS TO THE FRAME, BOX-LIKE RESERVOIR HOLDING MEANS ON THE PLATE MEANS, AND TO THE RESERVOIR AND TO THE PLATE MEANS FOR FACILITATING A RESERVOIR DETACHABLY REPLACEABLY SUPPORTED BY THE RESERVOIR HOLDING MEANS. A COLLECTION TUBE IS DETACHABLY SECURED DELIVERY OF FLUID EXCRETIONS TO THE COLLECTION RESERVOIR AND   VALVE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH SAID TUBE IS SECURED TO THE PLATE MEANS.

Mitch 1971 s. ANDERSON- comxcmon DEVICE FOR WHEEL cums Filed Sept. 10'.1968 [Hi l INV EN TOR; GR7PUO ANDERSWV H626 I an United States PatentOflice 3,568,217 Patented Mar. 9, 1971 3,568,217 COLLECTION DEVICE FORWHEEL CHAIRS Gertrude Anderson, 1236 Virginia Ave.,

Bronx, N.Y. 10473 Filed Sept. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 758,826 Int. Cl. E03d13/00 U.S. Cl. 4110 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This inventionrelates to collection apparatus for an invalid chair which includes aback frame and a seat frame, both connected to a supporting frame. Thecollection apparatus comprises support plate means for ad justablyattaching the support plate means to the frame, box-like reservoirholding means on the plate means, and a reservoir detachably replaceablysupported by the reservoir holding means. A collection tube isdetachably secured to the reservoir and to the plate means forfacilitating delivery of fluid excretions to the collection reservoirand valve means for controlling flow of fluid through said tube issecured to the plate means.

This invention relates to a collection apparatus and more particularlyto a collection apparatus which is designed for adjustable anddetachable connection to invalid chairs and which permits continuouscollection services to be made to the patient from the bottom portion ofthe chair without disturbing or moving the patient in any manner.

After certain types of operations continuous drainage of the patientsbody excretions is often required for protracted periods. For example,patients subjected to urological surgery frequently require continuousdrainage of the bladder. In a colostomy operation for the removal of thediseased part of an intestine, an incision is made through the abdominalwall through which the upper cut end of the severed intestine is broughtout and allowed to drain into a suitable receptacle for an extendedperiod before joining the cut ends together. Because the problemsarising from collection procedures are of a highly delicate nature, theprior art devices or systems have proven unsatisfactory to the extentthat they are bulky, uncomfortable, conspicuous or require confining thepatient to bed.

For example, a widely used colostomy collection device is a. drain sacksupported on the body by straps. Although the wearer is not confined tobed, he is, nevertheless, uncomfortable due to the increasing Weight ofthe drain sack while it is filling. The continuous discharge spills overthe patient and his clothing while the sack is being emptied, which mustbe done frequently, and is highly objectionable. Also, the wearer may beembarrassed because the sack causes an unsightly bulge in his clothing.

Devices used for drainage of the bladder include a wheel chain having atoilet seat incorporated therein, a removable bed pan being providedbeneath the seat. However, a primary disadvantage of the wheel chair isthat it has a tendency to produce pressure sores on the user. In anothersystem, the patient is confined to his bed because of the size andcomplexity of the equipment used.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide acollection apparatus for invalid chairs which permits continuousdrainage of body excretions even while the collection reservoir is beingemptied of the fluid contained therein.

It is another object of the invention to provide a collection apparatusfor invalid chairs having a collection reservoir which is readilyremovable from its support,

and its removal therefrom will not disturb the collection service.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of anadjustable collection apparatus for invalid chairs which may beinstalled on virtually every type of invalid chair.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a collection apparatus which is simple to use, which is notuncomfortable, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which isinconspicuous to persons viewing the patient.

FIG. 1 is an enlarged top plan view of the collection apparatus inaccordance with the concepts of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the collectionapparatus taken along the plane of line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the support plate of the collectionapparatus as attached to the side portion of the support frame of aninvalid chair;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the exposed side of the support plateas viewed from the side of the invalid chair showingthe means ofadjusting the position of the plate with respect to the support framelooking along the plane of line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the invalid chair showing themanner of attachment of the collection apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a partial top plan view of the invalid chair and thecollection apparatus attached thereto, parts being broken away to showother parts in detail.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the collectionapparatus of the present invention. The collection apparatus 10 issecurely attached to an invalid chair generally designated as 12 andincludes a seat 22, a back 46, a pair of arm rests 48, a pair of largerear wheels 50 and a pair of small front directional wheels 52 and asupport frame 14 provided with parallel crossbars 16 thereon. Of courseit is to be understood that the invalid chair need not be mobile as inthe embodiment herein described.

The collection apparatus 10 comprises a reservoir 18 and a flexiblecollection tube 20, both preferably being manufactured from transparentmaterials. Reservoir 18 is seated in a box-like container 21 providedwith reservoir support flanges 23 beneath seat 22. The lower portion ofcollection tube 20 fits through a hole in cap 24 which seals the openingof neck 26 of reservoir 18. A second short tube 28 is also insertedwithin the cap 24 and equalizes the pressure inside and outside ofreservoir 18. Collection tube 20 is supported on a first support plate30 by means of clips 32 attached thereto, the first support plate 30being attached to a side of container 21.

A pinch valve 34 controls the flow of fluid through tube 20 secured toplate 30. Attached to the first support plate 30 by connection screws 36fitted through apertures 38 is a hook element 40 consisting of a secondplate 42 integrally formed with an arcuately shaped flange 44. Apertures38 passing through both support plate 30 and hook element 40 permitadjustment of flange 44 to a height which will facilitate the attachmentof flange 44 to a crossbar 16 of virtually all standard invalid chairs.

In use, collection tube 20 is attached to the patients body and fluidexcretion is permitted to flow through tube 20 to reservoir 18. When itis desired to empty reservoir 18, valve 34 is closed and cap 24 isdetached from reservoir 18. Fluid continues to collect in the closedtube until cap 24 is reinserted into the reservoir 18 and valve 34 isopened. This procedure is repeated as often as necessary.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in theforegoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of theinvention will be employed Without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

I claim:

1. A collection apparatus for an invalid chair having a supportingframe, a back frame connected to said supporting frame, and a seatconnected to said supporting frame, said collection apparatus comprisingsupport plate means secured to said frame, reservoir holding means onsaid plate means, a collection reservoir detachably replaceablysupported by said reservoir holding means, a collection tube forfacilitating delivery of fluid excretions from the invalid to saidcollection reservoir, means atporting frame.

3. A collection apparatus according to claim 2, includ- 4- ing first andsecond support plates,,means for adjustably attaching said hookelementon said first support plate to said second support plate, andmeans for securing said first support plate to second support platepermitting adjustment of the position of said first support plate hookelement means with respect to said supporting frame.

4. A collection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reservoirholding means is a box-like container on said support plate means.

5. A collection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collectiontube is detachably'replaceably secured to said support plate means andto said reservoir for facilitating removal and replacement of saidreservoir with respect to said reservoir holding means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 3,231,901 2/1966 Kennedy 4l103,343,542 9/1967 Ericson 4l 10X 3,422,463 1/1969 Lowry 4l00 LAVERNE D.GEIGER, Primary Examiner R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner

